Ferrari’s rumour mill has never needed much of an excuse to spin itself into a frenzy. But if pundits were expecting a civil war between Maranello’s racing divisions, Antonello Coletta just poured a very large bucket of cold water on the fire.
The man who has quietly built Ferrari’s modern endurance racing success has now had enough of the noise. And his message is unmistakably clear: he’s not coming for Fred Vasseur’s job.
Ferrari began 2025 riding a wave of optimism. A near-miss in the previous year’s Constructors’ Championship and the blockbuster arrival of Lewis Hamilton had raised expectations to near-unmanageable levels.
Instead, the season unravelled. Fourth place in the standings felt like a gut punch for a team that believed it was finally ready to strike.
Rumours Rise as Results Sink
As pressure mounted on team principal Fred Vasseur during the summer slump, attention inevitably drifted toward Maranello’s other success story.
Coletta, the architect of Ferrari’s back-to-back Le Mans 24 Hours victories and a World Endurance Championship title, suddenly found himself cast as the heir apparent.
Speaking candidly, the Italian brushed aside the speculation with a shrug rather than a snarl.
“We all have our own paths and our own roles. Of course, rumours come out, but that’s normal,” Coletta told Sky Sports Italy.
“We all work within the same company, so I don’t see anything strange in these links that surface from time to time, especially during difficult periods when people are always looking for alternative solutions.”
Stability Over Sensation
While the paddock buzzed, Ferrari’s leadership chose continuity over chaos. Vasseur emerged from the turbulent months not only intact, but strengthened, with a contract extension that signalled long-term trust from above.
Coletta made it clear he understands why.
“I believe this is a very important phase, a period of change in Formula 1 with the new regulations,” he added.
“We’re waiting to see the new car and we need to trust the people who are already in place.”
In a sport obsessed with quick fixes and scapegoats, Coletta’s stance cuts against the grain. With sweeping technical changes looming, Ferrari appears determined not to tear up its organisational chart in a moment of frustration.
Lunch, Not Knife-Fighting
Perhaps the most persistent subplot to the rumours was the suggestion of internal rivalry – an endurance boss circling, waiting for a misstep. Coletta laughed that off too, painting a far more mundane picture of life inside Ferrari’s walls.
“We all work in perfect harmony. I have an excellent relationship with Fred, just as he does with me — we were having lunch together the other day and we speak openly,” he revealed.
There is no coup being plotted over espresso, no shadow campaign unfolding behind closed doors.
“I don’t believe there is anything concrete on the horizon in terms of change, either for me or for him,” Coletta concluded.
“We remain focused on our work and on achieving our objectives, because that’s what matters most.”
For now, Ferrari’s leadership line holds firm. And if the rumour mill is disappointed, Coletta doesn’t seem to lose any sleep over it.
In Maranello, at least according to the man winning the biggest endurance races of them all, the knives are staying firmly in the drawer.
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